A second-term GOP lawmaker said Wednesday she’s gotten death threats since her vote earlier in the day for a speaker candidate that wasn’t Rep. Jim Jordan, after backing the Ohio Republican a day earlier.
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, switched her support on Wednesday to House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger, R-Texas, who isn’t running for speaker but has led opposition to Jordan and supports House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., for the job.
Miller-Meeks wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she backed Granger because “threatening tactics” by Jordan’s backers increased since Tuesday’s vote, “despite assurances” from the Ohioan’s team that would cease. But the threats apparently took a darker turn after Wednesday’s vote, Miller-Meeks said.
“I voted for Chairwoman Granger because she has demonstrated great leadership this year” on spending bills and “is a staunch conservative,” Miller-Meeks wrote. “However, since my vote in support of Chairwoman Granger, I have received credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls. The proper authorities have been notified and my office is cooperating fully.”
A number of lawmakers have alleged bullying tactics by Jordan surrogates during his campaign for speaker, which has contributed to the hardening of opposition to his candidacy. Granger herself hinted at threats against her back home in a post on X earlier Wednesday.
“Steve Scalise is an honorable man and has earned my vote for Speaker. This was a vote of conscience and I stayed true to my principles. Intimidation and threats will not change my position,” Granger wrote.
[Speaker battle lines may be hardening, next steps unclear]
But Miller-Meeks’ comments Wednesday night are the first that openly suggest threats of physical violence against lawmakers opposing Jordan.
“One thing I cannot stomach, or support is a bully,” Miller-Meeks, who comes from a military family and joined the Army at age 18, wrote on X. “Someone who threatens another with bodily harm or tries to suppress differing opinions undermines opportunity for unity and regard for freedom of speech.”
A Jordan spokesman said in response to threats against Miller-Meeks that he continues to oppose any bullying tactics or threats against members opposing his candidacy.
“This is abhorrent and has no place in civil discourse. No one should receive threats and it needs to stop,” said the spokesman, Russell Dye. “We have condemned these actions repeatedly. It is important that Republicans stop attacking each other and come together.”
It did not appear, at least based on her X post, that Miller-Meeks would reconsider her opposition to Jordan, arguing the GOP now “needs a consensus candidate” in order to get back to work on appropriations, providing aid to Israel and “stopping the insane policies of the Biden Administration.”
A spokesperson for Miller-Meeks did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
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